Germinating Sealing Wax Palm

[BermudaPalm]

Last July I purchased 10 sealing Wax palms seeds from RPS and tried to germinated them using the baggie method, using a mix of sphagnum moss and perlite 1:1, the medium being just moist as recommended (but not wet)

I got impatient with these puppies (after 3 months) and after reading that they love water I added enough water to the bag to make it look like a bog!!. To boot, I placed the bag in front of my server fan (85-95F).

Another 2 months passed and still no joy.

In desperation I ordered another 10 seeds from the same supplier and these have been cleaned are now in their 4th day of soaking. I plan on germinating them again tomorrow, but after reading many threads on this

palm I'm somewhat confused ....dhuuhhhh. I've successfully germinated several types of palms already using the baggie method.

Should I treat them just like any other palm seed, or should I make the moss:perlite medium wetter and place the bag on a heating mat at 90F? I realize this palm loves water and I've seen many in waterlogged areas in Bali as im my avatar.

I'm still hopeful that last years "crop" will someday bear signs of life so I replanted those seeds in a container which is sitting outside in shade (60-70F...average Bermuda winter temps) and being watered by our wet winter rains!!

[PalmatierMeg]

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade but I've tried several species of Cyrtostachys seeds from multiple sellers over 2 years & had just 1 C. renda germinate in 2008. I think the seeds have to be virtually fall-off-the-palm fresh. The other problem with growing them from seed is they are s-l-o-w. My one germination took 6 months to grow a 3" spike, another 6 months to open a leaf, almost another year to open a second - 2 leaves in 2 years. When I finally dared move it from plastic container to pot, I kept it sitting in a pan of water in light shade. It did speed up to a leaf every 3-4 months. In 2009 I bit the bullet and bought a 3g from Jeff Searle and never looked back.

I hope someone pipes up with a magic formula to germinate these darlings. I need all the help I can get.

[Trópico]

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade but I've tried several species of Cyrtostachys seeds from multiple sellers over 2 years & had just 1 C. renda germinate in 2008. I think the seeds have to be virtually fall-off-the-palm fresh. The other problem with growing them from seed is they are s-l-o-w. My one germination took 6 months to grow a 3" spike, another 6 months to open a leaf, almost another year to open a second - 2 leaves in 2 years. When I finally dared move it from plastic container to pot, I kept it sitting in a pan of water in light shade. It did speed up to a leaf every 3-4 months. In 2009 I bit the bullet and bought a 3g from Jeff Searle and never looked back.

I hope someone pipes up with a magic formula to germinate these darlings. I need all the help I can get.

I must have been getting fresh seeds on my only two orders because this has been an easier germinator for me. Not easy, but easier than hard which equals intermediate. The baggie, I tossed that method a very long time ago (it didn't work for me for the rarer seeds). I used a glad container (the ones you can pack your lunch in) filled with moist peat moss and perlite, and covered. Today I would substitute for moist vermiculite. In about 15 days the first one germinated for me, with all my batch germinated by the second month. I still haven't tried the other species yet; they are reputedly harder... but bought a very nice C. elegans from Jeff. Good luck.

[palmsOrl]

Being my favorite palm genera, I have tried seeds for the Cyrtostachys species that wasn't, until recently, available as a live palm (C. loriae, until Floribunda began carrying seedlings). I tried 100 seeds of this species from one seed dealer, and bundles of 5-10 on eBay several times. Everything was tried to get these to germinate; perlite, coconut coir, fungicide & no fungicide, 95F heated cabinet, moist & wet, gibberellic acid, you name it. I never managed to get a single germination, so I agree that seeds must be extremely fresh for success.

-Michael

[BermudaPalm]

Being my favorite palm genera, I have tried seeds for the Cyrtostachys species that wasn't, until recently, available as a live palm (C. loriae, until Floribunda began carrying seedlings). I tried 100 seeds of this species from one seed dealer, and bundles of 5-10 on eBay several times. Everything was tried to get these to germinate; perlite, coconut coir, fungicide & no fungicide, 95F heated cabinet, moist & wet, gibberellic acid, you name it. I never managed to get a single germination, so I agree that seeds must be extremely fresh for success.

-Michael

Thanks Michael, at least my expectations have now been aligned with reality.!!!

I think I may just start planing my next trip to Bali then..

Yesterday I planted my latest batch from RPS into a tupperware container which is sitting on top of my DSL modem ( a toasty 85-95F).

I'm just hopeful I guess (and patient too).

[MTM Palms]

Germinating is better with fresh seeds. I had my best success in a ziploc bag. I use spaghnam moss (squeeze all the water out), this will be moist enough. I have germinated thousands of different palm seeds over the years and this works best. The problem I had using soil or peat in the bag was too much moisture. The moss gives just the right amount, but squeeze the water out. After germination, yes the growth rate is so slow you must be patient. So if the red of the palm is what you like the best, be prepared to wait about 4 to 5 years to start seeing red. I too became impatient and just bought larger ones. I now have a 65 gallon, two 45 gallon, a 25 gallon, and a 15 gallon. The biggest have 3-4 foot of trunk. I live in Florida, but pull them in and out of the garage below 50 degrees in the winter (what a pain in the a..) but I too still love them. You cant over water them and dont have any bug or fungus problems. JUST DONT GET THEM COLD OR ALL BETS ARE OFF!!!

[MTM Palms]

BY THE WAY THIS YEAR I DID AN EXPERIMENT KEEPING ONE INSIDE THE HOUSE WITH 2 HOURS OF WINDOW SUNLIGHT A DAY DURING THE WINTER. IT IS ACTUALLY DOING FINE, BUT I SPRAY WITH A WATER BOTTLE EVERY OR EVERY OTHER DAY BECAUSE THEY LOVE MOISTURE. IT HAS BEEN IN THE HOUSE FOR 2 MONTHS WITH MAYBE A COUPLE WEEKS LEFT BEFORE IT GOES BACK OUTSIDE FOR THE SPRING/SUMMER, I THINK MY EXPERIMENT WAS SUCCESSFUL! I RECOMMEND THIS FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT FORGET TO HAUL IN ON BELOW 50F NIGHTS, BECAUSE JUST ONE NIGHT IS ALL IT TAKES. I SAY 50F FOR A SAFETY BUFFER, BUT PROBABLY OK EVEN TO LOW 40'S, BUT I NOT CHANCE AND EVEN IF I DID AND IT SURVIVES, IT LOOKS LIKE CRAP NOW WITH BROWN TIP LEAVES AND SLIMMER GROWTH.

[Oliver K.]

I also didn't succeed in making those seeds germinate, with cocohum in ziploc bag and heat mat. So I bought 4 seedlings via ebay which also died after several months in the greenhouse, after or before they made their second leaf.

Fortunately I had the occasion to buy a "juvenile" plant during my recent Java vacation:

Unfortunately I had to cut it to half height to make it fit into my suitcase

But maybe that's even sensible to reduce evaporation loss during the phase of recovering.

I planted it in a pot and placed it in the bathroom near the heater, still covered with a transparent plastic bag yet.

Erm...before I forget the best...I paid an equivalent of 9$ for that nice plant (includung delivery to my accomodation there!)...and almost didn't bargain (the poor guy needs to feed a family with his small business), could even have got it cheaper otherwise.

Hope I can make this plant survive now...what do you think is its biggest enemy? Lack of light, warmth or air humidity ?

[Oliver K.]

Just for your viewing pleasure...I add some more pics from adult (and uncut ) seling wax palms, taken during my Java trip:

This amazing big one stands in the Botanical Gardens of Bogor. Considering their slow growth, it must be 100 years or older!

[Trópico]

This is mine, germinated about 6 years ago. I was down to one now I'm back up to a little bunch

It's at that point where it's neither red nor green. Can't wait till it goes pinnate and brilliant red!

It's been sitting since November in one living room with a south facing window.

[9B in Brazil]

Would anyone know how old the Cyrtostachys sp. are at the Singapore Botanic Gardens?  

[doranakandawatta]

14 hours ago, 9B in Brazil said:

Would anyone know how old the Cyrtostachys sp. are at the Singapore Botanic Gardens?  

Comparing with these in Brief garden planted near 1950, yours may be 30 years old: